Join in the chaotic fun with the MacPherson family in this thirty-first "Baby Blues" cartoon collection
Child-rearing reaches an entirely new level of delightfully messy chaos in "Baby Blues: Wetter, Louder, Stickier." Battle-ready and perpetually exhausted, Daryl and Wanda team up to navigate a new front of challenges, like Zoe's enthusiasm over the "Smoochy Boyz" concert, deciphering baby Wren's attempts at language, and determining Hammie's place as a colon in the school play---whether "colon" refers to punctuation or digestion remains undetermined. Armed with "performance-enhancing substances" (a.k.a., chocolate donuts), the perfectly normal MacPherson family will surely bring a barrage of smiles and laughter to familiar fans with their perfectly chaotic lives.
"Baby Blues" has enchanted new parents, grandparents, and kids alike since it first appeared on the comics pages in 1990. As the years passed, the list of newspapers carrying the feature has grown almost as fast as the MacPhersons' kids "Baby Blues" now appears in more than 1,200 newspapers worldwide, and the adventures of America's favorite first-time parents have also been chronicled in 31 anthologies and four treasuries. In 1995, the National Cartoonists Society recognized "Baby Blues" as "Best Comic Strip of the Year."

"Baby Blues" makes life with children seem funny, even when they smear peanut butter on the walls and give the baby a makeover with Mom's cosmetics. Says writer Jerry Scott, "As long as kids keep having runny noses and wiping them on the drapes, we're in business."

"Our Server is Down: Baby Blues Scrapbook #20" captures the perils and pratfalls of raising young children in suburbia. Daryl and Wanda MacPherson are a couple in their mid-thirties struggling to juggle work and three kids with hectic schedules-and maintain their sanity.

Zoe, the talkative eldest, is seven and more worldly than ever. Hammie is the newly anointed (by the recent birth of baby Wren) middle child. At age five, he's a willing student for Zoe and a virtual Velcro board for blame. Wren is the newest addition to the MacPherson clan-so far, all giggles and sunshine . . . with a few clouds on the horizon.

Parents worldwide have delighted in this slice-of-life comic since its debut in 1990.

In the early days of "Baby Blues," Darryl and Wanda were surprised at the unexpected demands of parenting. Now, however, the nonstop antics of their lovably active kids, Zoe and Hamish, keep them hopping. Darryl and Wanda have accepted, and even learned to laugh at, the general upheaval of their lives.

In "I Shouldn't Have to Scream More than Once ," the MacPhersons continue their quest to raise their two small children. One day, Zoe asserts she needs her mother to teach her how to jump rope-""It's a girl thing,"" she tells Darryl. Later, Wanda and Darryl are happy their son has gone to the potty himself, until Zoe queries, ""Don't you want me to tell you where he went?"" And Wanda resorts to feeding Hammie on the floor after Zoe spots him picking up old peas. At the MacPherson household, it's all fodder for fun that has a delightful edge of truth for parents the world over.

It's a family feud full of fun and togetherness in Kirkman and Scott's "The Natural Disorder of Things." Readers step into the home of the MacPhersons, a perfectly normal family with perfectly chaotic lives. Daryl and Wanda are deep in the trenches of child rearing, earning their stripes as parents to Zoe, Hammie, and baby Wren.

"Baby Blues" is genuinely funny, portraying parenting the way it is, including the good, the bad, the ugly . . . and the sometimes smelly.

"Baby Blues" "recently celebrated an achievement that is considered the comic industry's top milestone: surpassing 1,000 newspaper clients around the world." --Arizona Republic

Usually the biggest struggles (and the biggest laughs) are over the smallest things, and nowhere is this truer than in households with kids. "Baby Blues Unplugged," overflows with all of the familiar domestic discord and chaos that has made this venerable family comic strip such a phenomenal success. In one strip, Hammie makes skis out of hot wheel tracks and two hair scrunchies and careens down a mountain of couch cushions. Meanwhile, Zoe carefully deliberates whether she wants her bath with or without bubbles, finally telling her Dad, "How about a regular bath with bubbles on the side?" "Baby Blues" provides parents with a much-needed laugh as they battle the daily challenges of keeping pace with their kids.

Their life is hectic, filled with terrible twos, teething, and temper tantrums... but Darryl and Wanda wouldn't have it any other way!

Since 1990, the MacPhersons have staked their engaging claim on the comics page with their realistically wild-eyed and worn-down reaction to parenting. We watched as Wanda gave up her job to be a stay-at-home mom, wondered how the couple would handle countless sleepless nights, and laughed when they unexpectedly found themselves expecting. Now, as Zoe grows into a walking, talking toddler and newborn Hamish learns how to roll over, the couple's pride, joy, and exhaustion reaches even greater heights.

Winners of the National Cartoonists Society's Best Comic Strip of the Year for 1995, "Baby Blues" creators Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott continue to entertain readers around the worlds. "If there's one service that we provide, it's to let parents know that they're not alone," says Kirkman. "I think it's comforting for readers to know that no matter how unmanageable life can get for them, Darryl and Wanda probably have it worse," adds Scott.

"One More and We're Outnumbered!" Follows parenthood classics such as "I saw Elvis in My Ultrasound," "Guess Who Didn't Take a Nap?" and "I Thought Labor Ended When the Baby Was Born," Through them all, endearing illustrations and dead-on dialogue provoke laughs of recognition and keep fans clamoring for more.

"Anyone with children, or even likes being around children, will find something to laugh about in "Baby Blues."" --"Blade Citizen" Oceanside, CA

Who can resist adorably wide-eyed Zoe MacPherson? Certainly not her parents, Wanda and Darryl, a mid-thirties career couple who've become mommy and daddy. But, like the millions of parents who flock to this engaging comic strip, the MacPhersons also find parenthood more rewarding--and frustrating--than they'd expected. Each day of this incisive and entertaining comic series, millions empathize with them as they face the joys and demands of parenting.

"I thought Labor Ended When the Baby Was Born" is aheartwarming collection from "Baby Blues" creators Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott. Developed in 1990 after Kirkman became a neophyte dad, "Baby Blues" appeals to anyone who's witnessed the eye-opening experiences only a baby can bring. Moms, for example, relate to Wanda, a former midlevel career woman who now stays home full-time to care for the mostly adorable Zoe. Dads connect with rattled-but-determined Darryl, as he still staggers off to an office each day despite mind-boggling changes life has wrought at home. Together, Mom and Dad juggle and struggle to decipher their new relationship, wondering where romance fits in, whether they're "parentnoid," and how they're affecting their daughter.

Artist Rick Kirkman and writer Jerry Scott know about parenting and provide a hilarious, yet true-to-life, view of this mixed blessing.

Back for the fifth year, this calendar features a different "Baby Blues" comic each day and follows the McPherson's hilarious childhood challenges throughout the year.

All the family fun, pandemonium, and childhood chaos that fans of "Baby Blues" enjoy in the strip's daily newspaper appearances swirl about this collection.

Imagine three hurricanes converging on one household and you get an idea of what Darryl and Wanda MacPherson experience each delightful day of parenting Zoe, Hammie, and Baby Wren. It's a perfect storm of flying foodstuffs, off-the-scale emotional outbursts, and enough offspring energy to make veteran storm chasers duck for cover.........and that's before any little friends come over to play!

"Playdate: Category 5" captures all this and more. This "Baby Blues" collection is packed with hilarious family situations and childhood challenges anyone can appreciate, whether it's fellow parents riding out their own "storms," empty-nesters reveling in their calms, or parents-to-be wondering what all the fuss is about. Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott are right on target in episode after episode. Their witty observations and insights-such as "I think screaming is the primary form of communication for girls," "We've gotta learn to travel lighter, or just put some wheels on the house," and "Sometimes being the dad is like being the weird kid in the neighborhood"-always hit the mark.

"Playdate: Category 5" will be treasured by "Baby Blues" fans everywhere. "Playdate" allows readers to experience the full fury of the MacPherson family tempest time and time again.

Well on the day you were born, the nurses all gathered 'round. And they gazed in wide wonder, as my face hit the ground. The head nurse looked up, said, "Leave this one prone." She could tell right away that I was Dad to the bone." --Sing to the tune of George Thorogood's "Bad to the Bone"

If you read the job description in a want ad, you might think long and hard before responding. WANTED: A man willing to change diapers that could nuke the ozone, plop down on all fours and become a horsie at a moment's notice, arise from a deep sleep for an hour to calm nightmares, and part with a significant chunk of his hard-earned nest egg. There's only one explanation for why a man such as "Baby Blues'" Darryl MacPherson would accept such a challenge . . . because he's "Dad to the Bone,"

"Now, when I coach your teams, I go out of my mind! Every holler and scream means I'm proud that you're mine! As the years go by, pretty baby, can't believe how much you've grown! I wanna' thank you for makin' me a Dad to the Bone!"

Of course, "Baby Blues" isn't only about fatherhood. This is a well-rounded family, with mom Wanda becoming more well-rounded every day as she heads into her third pregnancy. This collection of strips from the wildly popular feature "Baby Blues," which is enjoyed by millions of parents and kids every day. Over the years, creators Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman have perfected this family-centered strip that presents the joyful moments with the frustrating in a way that is hilarious and heartfelt without being syrupy sweet.

Both folly and food are flying in "Motherhood Is Not for Wimps," the collection of the immensely popular strip "Baby Blues." The parents of young Zoe and Hamish uncover chicken nuggets in the dryer, bribe their children with Fudgsicles, referee a debate on which child got the bigger cookie, and learn that there is quite likely maple syrup in the VCR. And fun with food is just the start of the countless laughs and never-ending mayhem in this collection.

The charm and universal appeal of "Baby Blues" lies in its ability to humorously capture the everyday joys and trials of parenting young children. The strip helps moms and dads the world over laugh their way through the daily challenges of keeping up with their kids. Yet, you don't have to be a parent of small children to appreciate the humorous situations fictional parents Darryl and Wanda face in "Motherhood Is Not for Wimps."

Darryl and Wanda have the parenting thing down all right, but they still continue to be surprised by the delightfully devilish antics of their two live-wire children. From first steps to bedtime snacks, from shopping adventures to sibling rivalry, Zoe and Hamish keep their parents on the move and the rest of us in stitches.
"Baby Blues" chronicles the chaotic entertaining lives of the MacPherson clan as they chart a course through the everyday demands of family life. In a style that speaks to parents and nonparents alike, "Baby Blues" charms its followers with scenes of child-rearing mayhem and devotion. In "Lift and Separate," Wanda and Darryl continue to confront the ever-changing challenges of raising two active youngsters.

"Artist Kirkman and writer Scott obviously know about parenting. You can see it in every installment of the true-to-life strip they create." --Cartoon Opportunities

Life's not getting any simpler around the MacPherson household with Zoe starting preschool, Hammie approaching toddlerhood and parents Darryl and Wanda just trying to keep up. Since 1990, the daily comic strip "Baby Blues" has delighted readers with its fresh prospective on the nature of parenting, earning it 1995's Best Comic Strip Award from the National Cartoonists Society.

Scenes such as Zoe's disarmingly honest response to a complimentary stranger in the grocery store--"I think you have a really fat bottom"--strike an all-too-familiar chord with anyone who knows a child. And what parent wouldn't recognize the truth in the fact that it took only five seconds for Darryl and Wanda to move all of their valuable possessions (one framed photo) out of Hammie's growing reach?

"Baby Blues" creators Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott receive countless letters and e-mails from fans who describe their heartfelt connection to the MacPhersons. Like no other family-oriented comic strip, "Baby Blues" speaks to millions of people who, like the MacPhersons, experience both the tremendous joy and nagging frustration of being parents.

"The antics of Zoe really prepared me for my own child, and I really enjoy every one of the "Baby Blues" books over and over as my child grows. When I feel that life is overwhelming with my baby, I read one of these books and suddenly it all comes into focus, because obviously other parents have gone through the same thing. I have purchased these books for other moms or moms-to-be that I know, and their great books for a baby shower." --A "Baby Blues" fan

Is it possible for the MacPherson kids to get any cuter? Zoe excitedly dipping water from the toilet to serve her daddy "tea." Hamish rolling efficiently across the floor instead of crawling. And Darryl and Wanda watching all their antics in worn-out wonder! Who hasn't experienced, or at least witnessed, that final humiliated plea for the check after a restaurant is turned into a war zone by active kids? Well, Darryl and Wanda are there now.

Since 1989, "Baby Blues" fans have witnessed the amusing transformation of the career-oriented MacPhersons into realistically warm and wild-eyed parents--from Wanda giving up her job to be a stay-at-home mom to Darryl fitting in daddy duty after demanding days at the office. As demonstrated over and over in "Check, Please...," the MacPhersons are no different from many new parents, forced to make adjustments that have come fast and furious.

"Let's name the Baby Lexus! It's gender-neutral... It's unique... Plus, people will be really impressed! "There go the MacPhersons," they'll say, "They have a Lexus!""

When Jerry Scott and Rick Kirkman put their heads together comedy springs forth like a baby out of bath water. This cartooning duo delights readers with "I Saw Elvis in My Ultrasound."

"I Saw Elvis..." documents the day-to-day challenges Wanda and Darryl MacPherson face as they juggle the demands of raising adorable Zoe with getting ready for Bundle of Joy No. 2. The older, and somewhat wiser couple think they've got this kid business under control, only to find a whole new set of parenting problems on their hands.

Potty-training becomes "potty pleading," Wanda concludes that she's not just pregnant, she's "abdominally challenged," and Darryl admits that what he really sees in the ultrasound screen is... Elvis.

In the third collection of this heartwarming strip, parents Wanda and Darryl are bewildered in their new roles as Mom and Dad to newborn Zoe. Their true-to-life uncertainties give incisive glances at the humorous, and sometimes trying, moments of parenthood. Baby Blues appears in newspapers worldwide, with a daily readership of almost 40 million.

In January, 1990, American newspaper readers witnessef the birth of a family. Today more than 40 million people follow the daily exploits of parents Darryl and Wanda and their baby, Zoe, in the hilarious, true-to-life cartoon strip "Baby Blues". Now, for the first time, creators Rick Kirkman and Jerry Scott have collected their delightful cartoons in book form.